Bipolar Research Is Working On Finding the Causes of Bipolar Disorder

Manic-depressive disorder, also known as bipolar disorder, is a condition where individuals experience alternating major depressive and mania episodes. Some of the characteristics of major depression include suicidal thoughts, preoccupation with death, despair, withdrawal and overwhelming sadness.

Mania may include hyperactivity, elation, racing thoughts, excessive restlessness, irritability or uncontrolled anger. Bipolar disorder causes continue to puzzle scientists but through bipolar research, they have unearthed several tentative insights and theories, although the true causes still evade them. There are millions of people across the globe affected by bipolar disorder with more diagnosed annually, and although treatments for this condition have advanced significantly, bipolar research is imperative.

Bipolar research indicates that the brains of people suffering from bipolar disorder have more cells in two brain areas that direct signals to other brain parts. In theory, bipolar research scientists believe this could possible cause over stimulation resulting in bipolar symptoms. Another theory indicates that bipolar disorder is a genetically influenced condition. Scientists have done extensive studies and research to support this by gathering and analysing information from bipolar patients and their families. Bipolar research shows it is more probable that family members such as parents, sisters, brothers, and children of bipolar patients will suffer from mood disorders including bipolar disorder. There is strong reason to believe there is a genetic vulnerability to inherit bipolar disorder but scientists still require more bipolar research.

Some studies suggest that a main element in developing manic depression disorder is a stress-filled life, which includes environmental, emotional and mental issues. In today’s society, life is very stressful but people are individuals and each one deals with stress differently. Some people find things such as, buying a new home, starting college, getting married, changing jobs, or moving to another location very exciting whereas others find these things extremely stressful. Regardless of the cause, bipolar research scientists believe that stress can start a bipolar episode in individuals that never experienced this condition before. Nurtured by numerous psychological and physical means, bipolar disorder seems to flourish once it starts.

To summarise what bipolar research scientists have discovered, stresses in life seem to start bipolar episodes in some people, whereas other people have the inherited capabilities to develop this condition. Although there is no cure for bipolar disorder, having it diagnosed and treated early by medications and therapy can certainly control this disorder.